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The Arrival of Angus
The Arrival of Angus is the third short story in the anthology Spitfire Parade which covers the exploits of Biggles and his R.A.F. 666 Squadron during the Battle of Britain. This story was a reworking of Flying Luck, a story with a First World War setting first published in Modern Boy No. 337, July 1939 and later gathered and republished as two chapters, Biggles Gets a Bull and Lost in the Sky in Biggles in France. The WW1 story featured Biggles as the main protagonist while Angus Mackail takes over this role in the adaptation. The Arrival of Angus was adapted as a graphic comic strip in Le Bal des Spitfire, first published in French in 1992, written and drawn by Francis Bergèse. Synopsis Angus Mackail is on his way to join 666 Squadron when he is forced by bad weather to put down on a small field where he has a difference of opinion with a bull. Plot (click on expand to read) Angus Mackail, rather disgruntled to 666 Squadron instead of one nearer his hometown of Aberdeen, makes his way towards Rawlham but finds the weather getting increasingly worse. Forced almost to ground level and uncertain of his position, he decides to land in a field but almost tears his undercarriage off trying to avoid a bull. The bull helpfully completes the destruction of his aircraft by charging into it, sending Angus running off. Fortunately he reaches a farmhouse without too much damage to himself and is greeted by a pretty young girl and her mother who invite him to warm up and dry out by their fire. His reverie is however interrupted by the arrival of another pilot, "Nutty" Armand, a French-Canadian who is the young girl's fiance. He had been waiting at a depot for posting orders. Feeling bored, he had decided to "borrow" a Tiger Moth without permission to visit his fiancee. He had been grounded at the farmhouse by the bad weather but now that the sky appeared to be clearing, he made ready to move off. Jealous about leaving Angus alone with his girl, he insisted on giving Angus a lift to Rawlham, which Angus, wanting to avoid trouble, accepted. But avoiding trouble wasn't how the flight could be described. Armand seemed to be an inexperienced pilot who made a point of taking very conceivable risk. Angus was certain he was going the wrong way but Armand refused any and all advice offered to him. After a hair-raising flight and gainst all odds, Armand succeeded in landing at an aerodrome although Angus was sure it could not be Rawlham. Alighting from their aircraft, they spot a Heinkel bomber and conclude to their horror that they had landed in occupied France! Armand insists on the "proper procedure" and sets the Tiger Moth on fire to prevent it falling into enemy hands. Then they get the brainwave of stealing the Heinkel to fly back to England. They stealthily approach the aircraft but all is lost when they are discovered by a growling terrier. It turns out to be Towser with Bertie, who tells them that they are indeed at Rawlham. The Heinkel was one he had captured earlier that day. Angus and Armand meet Biggles who welcomes Angus. And then Armand finds out he has been posted to 666 Squadron as well! Characters *Biggles *Bertie Lissie *Angus Mackail *"Nutty" Armand Aircraft *Supermarine Spitfire *De Havilland Tiger Moth *Heinkel He 111 Places Visited *Rawlham Mentioned Research notes References to the past Incongruities Chronology References Category:Short stories Category:Biggles short stories Category:World War Two era short stories